Rail-joint shock-absorber.



S. D. MYERS.

RAIL JOINT SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 14, 1913.

1,109,862, Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

WITNESSES: 1 7' INVENTOR a M S.D.MYERS.

ATTORN EYS THE NORRIS PErFRs coy. PHOTOVLITHOH wA H1NG oll, 0 (.2

s'rnrnnn D. minnsaor CARROLLTON, TEXAS.

jRiAIiIQ-YJ'bINT snocx ansoniann.

To all whom it-may concern Be it known that I, STEPHEN, D. MYERS,

a citizen of the United States,-residing atj Carrollton, in the countyof Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsin Rail-Joint Shock-Absorbers, of 'wliich the following is aspecification.

invention'relates to a-new'and useful rail joint shock absorber. a

When a train is passing over a track, the rails of which are connectedby the ordinary form of joint, each wheel of the train will slightlydepress one of the abutting rail ends of the joint before passing to theother rail end, thus communicating a frequently recurring shock orvibration to the crossties adjacent to the joint which will tend toeventually loosen the roadbed at this point.

It is the object of my invention to provide a means for resilientlysupporting two abutting rail ends so as to eliminate what is commonlfcalled a low joint and the vibratory effect above described.

Finally the object of my invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described that will be strong, durable, simple and efficientand comparatively easy to construct and also one that will not be likelyto get out of order.

With these and various other objects in view, my invention has relationto certain novel features of the construction and use, an example ofwhich is described in the following specification, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing my novel shock absorbercorrelated with a rail joint. Fig. 2 is a view of the same upon asmaller scale. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same takenupon the line XX of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein like referencecharacters designate similar parts in all the figures, the numerals 1and 2 respectively denote two abutting rail extremities which aresupported by cross-ties 3. A pair of ordinary fish-plates 4 are boltedagainst the two sides of the rail webs at the joint. Beneath the joint,a metal plate comprising parts 5, 6 and 7 is bridged between two ties 3frespectively extending beneath the abutt ng ra l ends. The portions 5 ofsaid plate 11erespectively upon the ties 3 and are spaced slightlybeneath the rail ends. The spikes I Specification of Letters l atent.

- Patented Sept. 8, 1914.

Application filed November 14, 1913. Ser-ialNo. 800,996.

7? which engage'the rails hand 2 with the ties '3 pass'through the endportions of the members 5, and are not driven sufiiciently deep. in thetiesfto' draw said rail ends down upon said members'5. The members 6 arevertically' disposed and respectively contiguous to the opposite lateralfaces of the ties 3 The member 7 is a horlzontal connection between thelower ends of the members 6 flush with the under faces of the ties andcontiguous to the roadbed. In the rectangular aperture formed betweenthe parts 6 and 7 and the rail ends, there is vertically mounted acoiled spring 8 abutting at its lower end upon the member 7 and at itsupper end against a plate 9 contiguous to the bases of the abutting railends. In the top face of the plate 9 there is counter-sunk the head of abolt 10 cen trally disposed within the spring 8 and passing through themember 7. Upon the lower end of said bolt is screw-threaded a nut 11which may be tightenedagainst the member 7 to produce a compression inthe spring 8. It is thus seen that the abutting rail ends rest at theirjuncture upon the plate 9 which is in turn supported by the coiledspring 8.

The strength of the spring 8 and the amount of compression to which itis sub jected will be such that the weight coming upon the joint duringthe passage of a train over the same will be largely sustained by saidspring 8. In case however the joint is obliged, during the passage of atrain, to sustain an extraordinary weight, the spring 8 will yielddownwardly sufficient to permit the abutting rail ends to be supportedby the ties 3*. By thus resiliently supporting the abutting rails of ajoint, the spring 8 constituting the resilient support is made to absorbthe greater part of the vibration which is communicated to the jointduring the passage of the train. The deleterious effect of suchvibration upon the roadbed at the rail joint is thus eliminated.

The invention is presented as including all such modifications andchanges as properly come within the scope of the following claims:

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described; the combination of twoabutting rail ex ttemities, of a plate disposed beneath said railextremities bridging the two ties nearest adjacent to the joint, thecentral portion of said plate 'being depressed betvreen said ties, acoiled spring abutting at its lower end against the depressedponti(m'o"li'- said" plate and supporting the abuttingrail ends at itsupper extremity, and means for ad just-ing the compression of saidspring.

'2. In a device ofthe character described; the combination With twoabutting rail ex. treniities of a plate disposed beneath said abuttingupon the depressed central portion of said plate and supporting the tWorail ends at its top, a plate interposed between the rail ends and thetop of said spring, a *boltpa'ssing cen tralIy through the spring havingits head counter-sunk in the top of said plate and having its loWer endprojecting through the central portion of said plate and a nutscrew-threaded upon said bolt adapted to be tightened against thecentral portion of said plate.

In testimony-whereof I. have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

j STEPHEN D. MYERS.

, Witnesses: v

J. S. MURRAY, JACK A. SCHLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

